The broad class of polymeric materials includes polymers with excellent processability, chemical resistance, and mechanical properties. These properties allow polymers to be used to produce extrusion molded articles, injection molded articles, hollow molded articles, films, sheets and the like, in a wide variety of industries. Numerous polymers are derived from petroleum and natural gas. Market prices for these fossil fuels are increasing, due to a number of factors including a depletion of easily accessible deposits, growth of emerging economies, political instabilities, and environmental concerns. There is an unmet need in the art for polymer production methods that do not rely on fossil fuels.